Its Story Time! [Book Help]

Waffles or whatever

Basically for a class I need to read a book about Parent/Children Relationships and struggles or potential conflicts between the kids and their parents. (Example of books include Peak, Chocolate War, and Daddy Long Legs).

Originally I wanted to use a book from a class I took in Middle School (See Horrid Description Below), but I came up with nothing. Anyone know of any good books that fit this theme and aren't to terribly long/boring?

Books I've read in the past that I thought about using (Holes and the Giver) were possible ideas, but I'm not really sure if a kid digging holes quite fits the bill or a utopian society where a kid has adopted parents also qualifies.

Description (easiest path)

Back in Middle School we read a book about two characters, the girl's name escapes me, but her cousin, Woodruff has a mom who runs away from the family. Basically the book takes place in a span of a year where Woodruff moves in with his grandparents after his dad whose a coal miner cannot take care of him. The other plot deals with this "southern bell" young girl who suffers a type of PTSD after discovering her dead father as a kid after he committed suicide. Does anyone know the name of this book from the vague description I've given? I know the title of the originates from the ending if that helps.

The LandoStander

Ordinary People by Judith Guest. They made a movie out of it with Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore and Judd Hirsch.

Suicidal kid, a mom who can't handle the stigma of psychological abnormality and a father who just tries his best and a Psychologist.

I'll go ahead and admit this book changed my life a little in that it firmed up my decision to study Psychology.

Elin

I Never Promised You a Rose Garden

It's about 250 pages which, for me, takes about an hour to read. It's about a young girl who ends up in an institution in the 50's. It focuses mostly on her but there is also the issues with her parents and how they are dealing/coping with this. It's semi-autobiographical and I loved it when I was younger.

Elin

really, twice, no more posting and drinking

Elin

ugh, I wanted edit, not quote

CroakerBC

Possibly 'The Joy Luck Club' ?
Or am I showing my age?

Sir Carcass

If children's books are okay, one of my favorites that comes to mind is Dear Mr. Henshaw. It's written from the point of view of a kid as if it were letters to his favorite author or entries in his journal. He definitely has issues with his parents (mostly his dad), and you hear about them from his point of view.

RobAnybody

Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson is pretty good. Talks about a boy's relationship with his dad, and the struggles therein. King of the Screw-Ups by K.L. Going has a similar theme. Good reads, shortish, not boring.